Synchronized Swimming Takes First at North Regional Championships – Ohio State Buckeyes
3/5/2005 12:00:00 AM | Artistic Swimming
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State synchronized swimming team finished first Saturday at the North Regional Championships in the Varsity Pool at Larkins Hall. The meet marked the final event in the Mike Peppe Aquatic Center for the Buckeyes, who remain undefeated on the season with a record of 22-0. Ohio State will move into the Bill and Mae McCorkle Aquatics Pavilion next year.
The Buckeyes won the North Regional Championships with a total of 104 points, while Minnesota took second (74) and Carleton College finished third (70.5). Numerous Ohio State performances in four routine events qualified for the 2005 Collegiate National Championships.
Juniors Chelsea Luker (Montreal, Quebec/Antoine De St-Exupery) and Carly Grimshaw (Markham, Ontario/Markham District) teamed up to win the duet event with a score of 93.800. The freshman pair of Michelle Benzie (El Cajon, Calif./Granite Hills) and Julia Broadfoot (El Cajon, Calif./Valhalla) finished second in duet with a mark of 81.500.
Luker, Grimshaw and senior Lauren Marsh (Spring Valley, Calif./Monte Vista) earned first-place honors in the trio event, recording a score of 93.100. Teammates Becky Kim (So., Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate), Ellen Hacker (So., Newark, Ohio/Newark) and Lindsay Newbill (Sr., Laguana Hills, Calif./Laguana Hills) finished second in trio with a mark of 93.100.
Swimming for the first-place Ohio State `A’ team was Heather Burdick (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate), Hacker, Ashley Rule (So., San Jose, Calif./Archbishop Mitty), Marsh, Newbill, Lauren Byrom (Jr., Westerville, Ohio/Westerville North), Luker and Grimshaw. The Buckeyes earned a season-high score of 97.800. The Ohio State `B’ team also qualified for collegiate nationals with a second-place finish (95.100). Swimming for the Buckeyes was Jessica Beck (Jr., Richmond, Va./Freeman), Stacey Coffman (Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif./Northgate), Leslie Edgerton (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin), Megan Mikulecky (Jr., Carmichael, Calif./El Camino), Leayn Pinette (Fr., Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central), Leah Pinette (Fr., Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central), Stephanie Raftery (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) and Erin Schmidt (Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Walnut Hills).
In addition, Kim qualified for collegiate nationals after recording a mark of 94.700 while competing as an honor swimmer. Kim and Newbill also qualified for nationals in the duet event with a 95.100 while swimming as honors. Freshman sisters Leayn Pinette and Leah Pinnette also earned a bid to nationals in the duet, posting a score of 89.100 while also competing as honors.
The event also marked the final home competition for seniors Marjorie Ardito (Hamden, Conn./Hamden), Burdick, Coffman, Mary Elliott (Harrison, Ohio/Harrison), Bethany Galla (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline Academy), Valerie Jolibois (Fircrest, W.Va./Cupertino), Marsh and Newbill.
Ohio State will contend for its sixth-consecutive and 25th title in program history March 24-26 at the Collegiate National Championships. The event will be held in Gainesville, Fla. For more information, visit www.usasynchro.org.
FINAL RESULTS March 5, 2005 North Regional Championships Columbus, Ohio
TEAM STANDINGS 1. OHIO STATE 104 2. Minnesota 74 3. Carleton 70.5 4. Michigan 59 5. Nebraska 54 6. Ohio 53.5 7. Miami 26 8. Illinois 12
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS 1. Carly Grimshaw, Ohio State 83.013 2. Chelsea Luker, OhioState 82.805 3. Becky Kim, Ohio State 82.693
`B’ FIGURES 1. Brooke Paul, Ohio State 72.951 2. Erin DeMarco, Ohio State 70.680 3. Aubrey Ford, Ohio State 70.087
`C’ FIGURES 1. Mary Elliott, Ohio State 66.947 2. Jennifer Zlotocha, Minnesota 66.005 3. Amy Blanshard, Michigan 64.625
SOLO 1. Caitlin Rooney, Minnesota 82.200 2. Zofi Kudak-Field, Carleton 79.200 3. Beth Volpe, Ohio 79.000
DUET 1. Chelsea Luker and Carly Grimshaw, Ohio State 93.800 2. Michelle Benzie and Julia Broadfoot, Ohio State 91.500 3. Kristin Barbieri and Jennifer Zlotocha, Minnesota 81.100
TRIO 1. Carly Grimshaw, Chelsea Luker and Lauren Marsh, Ohio State 93.100 2. Becky Kim, Ellen Hacker and Lindsay Newbill, Ohio State 92.900 3. Elizabeth Clark, Disan Davis and Sophie White, Carleton 79.000
TEAM 1. Ohio State `A’ 97.800 2. Ohio State `B’ 95.100 3. Minnesota 82.600
